The present invention relates to a new and improved construction of a windshield for vehicles, especially but not exclusively inflatable boats or the like, and to structures formed from combinations of such windshields.
There have already become known to the art various proposals for attaching windshields to a vehicle which consists of a flexible material at least at the region where the windshield is to be attached. An example thereof is the attachment of a windshield at an inflatable boat. In this connection it is known to provide a construction wherein the windshield possesses holes at the region of its lower edge, through which there can be inserted nipples which are attached to the boat hull or body. These nipples in turn possess holes through which there can be inserted a rod. The attachment of the windshield must be accomplished in the non-inflated condition of the boat and a final positional fixation thereof is then first carried out with the inflation of the boat.
This technique of mounting the windshield is associated with a number of drawbacks: it is relatively complicated, and furthermore, there is required a filigree-type connection technique, so that, on the one hand, assembly requires a relatively great amount of time, and, however, on the other hand, the obtained strength of the assembled structure is low. A further essential drawback resides in the fact that a windshield attached in this manner, if it is not additionally retained and supported, is unable to maintain its position to the extend desired when travelling at greater speeds. Consequently, deformation of the windshield results, and, in the extreme case, it can happen that the vision of the driver is impaired. Also, with the above discussed construction, it is not possible to provide the windshield in the required desired size, in order to afford optimum protection against wind and water spray, since otherwise its mechanical fixation is associated with difficulties.